V.A.M.P.
:The V.A.M.P. is a G.I. Joe vehicle from the A Real American Hero series. Much of the technology for the Vehicle: Attack/Multi-PurposeEditor's note in , although Clutch called it "Vehicle: Assault, Multi-Purpose" in (V.A.M.P.) is taken from conventional 4-WD military vehicles but it has more than proven itself to be tough. It has since been one of the most oft-used vehicles in the G.I. Joe arsenal of vehicles. Features Based on the Lamborghini Cheetah, the VAMP is powered by a 4.8 liter V-12 fuel injected twin turbo engine that enables it to reach speeds of 140mph and a range of 550 miles. The engine is powerful enough to tow to battle a larger weapons system such a H.A.L. or a F.L.A.K. Its primary offensive weaponry is a pair of 7.62mm machine guns mounted on its ventilator intakes right at the back. The guns can be operated with a computer by the driver's seat. The computer is smart enough to choose its targets via pre-programming thus allowing the driver to concentrate on maneuvering. An additional minigun is mounted on the hood in front of the driver's position. An optional mounting hardpoint for an emergency shovel was later added to the front passenger-side fender, and became a standard feature of the V.A.M.P. Mark II. Fiction Comics continuity Clutch drove a V.A.M.P. to battle Cobra forces on a Caribbean island top nuclear scientist Dr. Adele Burkhart was being held. It also towed the H.A.L. to provide additional firepower support. He had to leave it on the exploding island after rescuing Burkhart and flying away to safety. While initially distressed, he was more than happy to be issued another one which he used to shoot down an enemy plane in the Middle East to rescue his teammates from Colonel Sharif's men. Animated continuity .]] Cover Girl used a V.A.M.P. to hurl a Cobra canister with a built-in explosive booby trap. She loaded it onto the back and with sufficient speed and maneuvering, she sends it to the air and explode, away from harming anyone. Toys Toy editions * A Real American Hero (1982) : The V.A.M.P. was part of the inaugural lineup of the A Real American Hero series. It included a driver, Clutch. * A Real American Hero (1984) (Sears exclusive) : The V.A.M.P. and H.A.L. were reissued in 1984 as a box set, albeit with no figures, as a Sears store exclusive. The V.A.M.P. used an updated body shell which added a molded shovel to the top of the front passenger-side fender, in addition to some more subtle changes, while the rest of the vehicle used the original V.A.M.P. parts. The body shell is not exactly the same as that of the V.A.M.P. Mark II, as while both feature the molded shovel on the front, the Mark II features plug-in water cans on the back, where this version retains the original's gasoline can design and storage rack. * A Real American Hero (2004) (Toys R Us exclusive) : The V.A.M.P. with Twin Battle Gun set was released in 2004 as a Toys R Us exclusive, and notably did not carry the Valor vs. Venom tag. Using the main body of the 1984 version of the V.A.M.P. that was shared with the Mark II, this version of the V.A.M.P. also uses the hood, rear platform, and weapons of the Desert Striker from 2001, with an all-new rollbar. The Twin Battle Gun was a re-use of the 1983 Whirlwind Twin Battle Gun mold. The set came with three figures: Pathfinder, Chief Torpedo, and Big Brawler. * A Real American Hero 25th Anniversary (2008) : The V.A.M.P. received an overhaul for the 25th Anniversary lineup. In addition to being modified to accommodate the new, slightly taller Generation 3 figures, the changes include clear plastic headlights and taillights in place of the original's stickers, additional detailing on the rear cannon mounting area, including hoses connecting the cannon to the chassis (which does limit the cannon's swivel range to barely more than 90 degrees on either side), and a removable shovel on the front passenger-side bumper. The hood combines elements of the original V.A.M.P. and the Mark II by having both a removable hood pack and the driver-side minigun. Re-uses/re-makes * V.A.M.P. Mark II * Tiger Sting * Desert Striker * V.A.M.P. Mark V External links Write up Footnotes Category:G.I. Joe vehicles